Welcome to SCBWI-MI's Book Birthday Blog!
Where we celebrate new books from Michigan's authors, illustrators and translators.
Congratulations to F.P. LaRue on the release of The Weeping House
When you started writing the first book, did you plan for this to be a series?
I wanted to write books for children, but originally I wasn't planning on writing a series. After my first book, The Curse of Shadow Park, I felt that the main characters, Ollie, Mellie and Scotty were ready for another adventure. That's when I got the idea for the second book, The Legend of the Serpent Witch. I also became confident that these characters could support additional adventures, and I decided to call them the Scary Shivers Mystery series. The Weeping House seemed like a natural progression for the main characters, and is the third book in the Scary Shivers Mystery series.
What is something you hope readers will take away from the book?
I just want the readers to have fun reading about the adventures of Ollie, Mellie and Scotty. I want the readers to experience how fun reading can be. In The Weeping House, and the other books in the Scary Shivers Mystery series, it shows how crucial friendships are, along with the importance of sticking together regardless of fear or obstacles. But mostly, I just want the readers to have fun reading, and hopefully, want to read more.
What inspired you to write middle-grade fiction?
I kept hearing and reading about how reading scores for children had dropped in schools, particular after COVID. Reading is very important in all aspects of life, and I wanted to find a way to show kids that reading can be fun. I loved reading scary adventures when I was growing up. The reading skills I developed helped me to progress through my education and life. The Weeping House and the other books in the Scary Shivers Mystery series are designed to be fast, easy reads, for those who like to read and may help those who don’t think they like to read.
What are your marketing plans for the book and where can we find it?
I will be promoting The Weeping House on my websites https://www.fplarue.com/ and https://www.scaryshivers.com/. The books will also be available for sale on those sites. I will also be promoting The Weeping House through my Facebook account. I will be participating in some art and craft fairs, and am working on scheduling some book signings at local bookstores. I am also working on getting interviews scheduled on some podcasts. I am working with the publisher to have The Weeping House available for sale at various Michigan bookstores and on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BooksAMillion.com, and other online outlets. You can also find the book on my websites and at https://mascotbooks.com/.
What's next for you?
I am already starting to conceptualize the next book in the Scary Shivers Mystery series. It will be the fourth adventure for Ollie, Mellie and Scotty. Details to come.
More about the book . . .
Ollie and his two best friends, Mellie and Scotty learn that a local house may be haunted. Legend has it that a young woman named Eleanor had a curse put on her by a spurned suitor. She is confined to the house for eternity. It is said that you can hear Eleanor sobbing from within the house.
Ollie, Mellie and Scotty find the Weeping House and discover that the mystery and curse are, in fact, true. Along their journey, they encounter ghosts and terrifying creatures. They discover a diary, an amulet, and a handkerchief with magical powers, but each only works for one of them. Ollie, Mellie and Scotty must work together to combine their powers, solve the mystery, and break the curse on Eleanor so that her spirit can be set free.
Publisher: Mascot Books, an imprint of Amplify Publishing Group
More about the author . . .
F.P. LaRue is the author of the Scary Shivers Mystery series. These adventure mysteries are written for middle-grade children and are designed to show children that reading can be fun. She loves scary stories and particularly enjoys sharing her own frightening tales. F.P. is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Before writing children’s books, F.P.’s career was in education, where she progressed from being a teacher to the Dean of Academic Affairs for a small Michigan college. When not writing, F.P. loves to travel, having visited all 50 of the United States and 54 countries worldwide.
F.P. hopes her stories inspire children to discover the wondrous adventures reading can bring ... no matter what their age.
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Congratulations, Christy.
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